INVERNESS-SHIRE, the name of the largest of the counties of Scotland.
The county of Inverness is about 94 miles in length from east to west, and about 50 miles at its greatest breadth. It is bounded on the north by Ross-shire and the Moray Firth ; on the east by Nairn, Moray, Banff, and Aberdeen shires ; on the south by Argyle and Perth-shires ; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Besides this, which may be termed the continental part of it, a number of the He bridean islands belong politically to the county. In con sidering the surface of this extensive and important part of Great Britain, it will be convenient to begin with a de scription of the grand outlines of its geography.
The great Caledonian Glen, or, as it is denominated in Gaelic, Glen-mor na-albin, is the most remarkable feature in Inverness-shire. Running in a straight line nearly from north-east to south-west, it divides the county into two almost equal parts. It may perhaps average somewhat less than a mile broad in the bottom, but towards its sum mit level, it is in many places scarcely a quarter of that width. The sides of the hills rise so very abruptly on both hands, and the shapes of their steep fronts seem so much adapted to one another, that the least observing person can hardly travel along its length, without the idea occurring that it must have been produced by some vast and sudden convulsion. The northern extremity of this extraordinary glen opens by the river Ness into the Moray Firth, and following it south-westwards from this point, we find it occupied by Lochs Ness, Oich, and Lochy, whence it ex tends into the Western Ocean by that long inlet of the sea called Loch Linnhe. In examining the straths and glens tributary to this great one, we find that they are eight in all ; of which number, (speaking in a general manner,) four join it from the west north-west, viz. Glen Urquhart, Glen Morriston, Glen Garry, and the glen or strath of Loch Arkeg. The remainder come into it from the east south-east, and are Stratherick, Glen Gluoy, Glen Spean, and Glen Nevis ; the three last situated in the district of Lochaber. Turning to the west coast of the county, we find it broken by six arms or bays of the sea, besides that of Loch Shell, there forming its southern boundary. These are Loch McAdam, Loch Aylort. Loch-ananougal, Loch-na gaul, Loch Nevish, and Loch Hourn. The fresh water lake Loch Morrer, and several small glens, discharging in,:tpendent streams into the Western Sea, tend still farther to disturb the continuity ol the mountains in this part of the county. In the northern quarter of the shire,
we notice the great glen of Strath Glass with its tribu taries, running nearly north-east, and opening into the firth of Beaul). To the south of the town of Inverness, portions ol Strath Nairn and Stradearn, or the strath of the Find horn, run through the county in a direction nearly north north-east. And farther south still, on the great strath of the rites Spey, we find the district of Badenoch ; whence Inverness-shire is projected in a north-east direction be tween the shires of Banff and Moray, a considerable dis trict round Castle Grant, being by them insulated from the rest ; and in this way it includes a large portion of Swat hspey.
All these glens are, comparatively speaking, narrow, and are bounded and divided from one another by very high mountains, which consequently form a great proportion of the surface of the county. It will be only necessary in this place, to notice one or two of the most distinguished. Meal fourvounie rises over the north side of Loch Ness, between Glen Urquhart and Glen Morriston, and is very conspi cuous from its round-headed top. Its height above the level of the sea is 3060 feet, and it is visible from the east at a great distance. Cairngorum, and Brae Mach, are two mountains rising over the district of Rothiemurchus, on the Spey. By the barometrical measurement of Dr. Skene Keith, the former is 4244, and the latter 4304 feet above the level of the sea. But in Inverness-shire, as throughout the rest of the island, the highest ridge approaches much nearer to the Western than to the Eastern Sea. Accord ingly we find, that the great mountain masses are accu mulated towards the former side of the county, and it is there that Ben Nevis is situated. This gigantic mountain is 4370 feet ; but it is not more remarkable for its superior altitude, than it is for the circumstance of its having its base almost washed by the sea, whence it towers up at once with a grandeur no where to be equalled in these kingdoms. It is never to be found without snow, and its top is almost constantly enveloped in clouds ; but when it is uncovered, the view commanded from the summit is the most exten sive that can be imagined, taking in a range of more that 170 miles, and embracing the greater number of the He brides. By going about a quarter of a mile up the river, above the house of Glen Nevis, it is easily ascended by one of its western ridges.